


After The Masquerade

by marsprince



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Archie and Reggie go to different High Schools, Coming Out, Consensual Underage Sex, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Horny Teenagers, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 04:03:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11797989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marsprince/pseuds/marsprince
Summary: Reggie and Archie meet in a different way. Instead of being childhood friends, they found each other in a ball. They both seem to like each other, although Reggie has a lot of struggles to accept himself.





	After The Masquerade

**Author's Note:**

> Archie and Reggie are probably the best rivalry relationship in comics. Whether you like Riverdale or not (I don't), this pairing has been a thing for more than fifty years. So yeah, I hope you enjoy this thing I wrote at 3:15 a.m. after binge watching Archie's Weird Mysteries.

“I can’t believe you dragged me here,” Reggie complained to his friend.

Veronica’s eyes sparkled with mischief, all he could see of her face underneath the glittery mask she wore. “What? It’ll be fun.”

Reggie snorted. “It won’t be _fun_! How you convinced me to come along…”

“Could it be that I threatened to tell Miss Grundy where you really were that week you pretended to be sick?” Veronica replied innocently.

Reggie scowled. Really… Whoever heard of a masked ball nowadays? As they entered the house, they passed an elaborate gold-framed floor length mirror. Veronica was wearing gauzy shades of blue, green and purple, her black hair bound on top of her head with some sort of jewelled sticks, wearing a blue and purple glittered mask.

Reggie wore a red and gold mask that was loosely wrapped around his head, loose black trousers with a weird embroidery at the cuffs and some sort of a red and gold tunic… Vest… Thing, he didn’t even know. Veronica had declared that he was taking her to the masquerade or else, and presented him with the costume. He would have been humiliated except no one would recognize him with the mask on.

“Cheer up, Reggie! You might even enjoy yourself.”

“I doubt it.” He muttered. A bunch of rich people in weird costumes dancing around was not the type of thing he considered enjoyable.

“Whatever, if you’re going to be like that the whole party, I’ll find someone more fun for now!” And Veronica was gone.

Reggie sighed and drifted over to the side of the darkened ballroom to wait. The masquerade would go until midnight, which left him with several hours of standing around.

He cast his eyes over the silhouettes in the crowd. Veronica was dancing with a guy in a peacock mask in the corner. There were feathers and sequins and sashes, and God knew what else. He moaned.

The song ended, and the dancers moved over to the dimly lighted refreshment table, found new partners, or waited for the next one.

A young man wearing a white mask and a black hat came over to him. “You want to dance?” A deep, overacted voice asked from beneath.

Reggie looked at him with annoyance, uncappable of deciphering the guy’s face. He was a complete stranger, a _male_ stranger, and this man was asking him to dance?

Reggie almost told him _“No.”_ But something stopped him. After all, what was the harm? They were both masked, and they’d probably never see each other again. He’d never consider it under normal circumstances; after all, he was only attracted to women… But then, it was just a dance… Even if it was a slow dance…

The guy waited, patiently, while Reggie deliberated. “Alright.” He said finally. “But I get to lead!”

The other laughed deeply. “Fair enough.”

As the band began a waltz, they moved over to the dance floor. The man put his hand on Reggie’s waist as Reggie awkwardly took his hand. He faltered on the first few steps.

“You don’t dance much, do you?” The man teased, his eyes twinkling behind the mask. They were black, Reggie noticed.

“Not with men, no.” He agreed, settling down. He did know how to dance, he just didn’t do it often. And this was the first time he’d ever done something like this.

His partner, on the other hand, was clumsy. He stepped on Reggie’s feet, and couldn’t keep time. Reggie rolled his eyes. “And you criticise my dancing?”

“I haven’t danced like this in years!” His partner said defensively.

“Are you here with anyone? A girlfriend?” Obviously not, or he wouldn’t be dancing with Reggie, but he needed to say something.

The man shook his head. “I came with a couple of friends. They are here somewhere. What about you?”

Reggie made a face, although his mask would cover it. “My friend blackmailed me into taking her.”

The man laughed again. He had a nice laugh. “What, you mean you wouldn’t come here for fun?”

“No!” Reggie snapped.

His partner blinked, behind the mask. “Just asking.”

“Sorry. No, this isn’t my idea of fun.”

The dance ended, and Reggie went to move back off the floor.

“You’re not done already, are you?”

“Why?” Reggie asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

The man shrugged. “I’d like to dance with you again.”

No. Once was enough. Too much. “Ok.”

In the next song, his partner didn’t step on his feet, which Reggie was just as grateful for.

“So… what’s your name?”

Reggie shook his head. “Masked ball, remember? No one is supposed to know who you are.”

The man shrugged again. “Suit yourself.”

It was awkward dancing like this. They were very close together, close enough that Reggie could feel the heat coming from the other man. He studied what he could see of his face. Black eyes, red hair behind the mask... Thankfully he wasn’t any closer than necessary. If he’d nestled against him or something outrageous like that, Reggie would have walked away.

He looked around again. Veronica was dancing with another man, this one in a black robe and a tiger mask. He sighed.

“Are you ok?”

Reggie shook his head. “It’s fine.”

“Is it really that bad?” His partner enquired.

Reggie smiled reluctantly. “No, I guess not.”

When the dance ended, he headed over to the refreshment table. The guy followed. Reggie suppressed a flash of annoyance. He’d agreed to one dance, been persuaded to two. He didn’t intend to spend the whole night with this man. He hadn’t intended to dance at all.

He picked up a cup of punch and a small sandwich on a napkin and moved out of the way. The man who’d danced with him took a cup and followed him.

“Didn’t you say you came with some friends?” Reggie asked desperately.

The man nodded. “They seem to be having fun. They are over there.” He pointed, and Reggie saw a black-haired man in a cat mask and a paper crown dancing clumsily in the corner with a blonde girl wearing a pink mask.

Reggie gulped down his punch, and nibbled on his sandwich, but he had no appetite. He shouldn’t have agreed to dance with this guy. He should have known better.

Another song started up. “You want to dance?”

The man nodded, smiling brilliantly.

 

* * *

 

 

Reggie lost track of time, until the music stopped and a voice announced, “All right, ladies and gentlemen, it’s midnight. Time to unmask!”

Reggie froze. He’d forgotten that the masks came off at midnight. All around him people started to remove their masks, including his partner. “Well?”

Reluctantly, Reggie took off his mask. He was sure everyone was looking at him, knowing what he’d been doing, despite all evidence to the contrary.

His partner smiled broadly at him. “I think we’re supposed to kiss now.”

Reggie felt the blood drain from his face and he took a step back.

“Whoa, relax! It was a joke!”

Reggie looked around for Veronica, refusing to look at his partner.

“I’m Archie.” His partner offered, holding out a hand. Reggie blinked, then reluctantly shook it.

“Uh…”

“Reggie!”

He winced. Veronica had found him. Her face was flushed, and her eyes shone. “Looks like you enjoyed yourself after all! Who’s your friend?”

“Uh…uh, this is…”

“Archie.” The redhead said, holding out a hand.

Veronica shook it with a bright smile. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Veronica.”

“We should go.” Reggie said.

“Hang on a sec.” Archie said, and produced a pen and a slip of paper from somewhere, scribbling on it. “That’s my number. Call me, yeah?” He asked, grinning openly, and pressing it into Reggie’s hand.

And he was gone as if by magic, leaving Reggie gaping.

 

* * *

 

Reggie kept the paper. He didn’t know why. For a week after the masquerade he kept taking it out and looking at it, then stuffing it back in the drawer.

Twice, he picked up the phone and pressed three numbers before hanging up in panic. What was he doing? He wasn’t into dudes, he didn’t know this Archie at all, why would he want to see him again?

Finally, he decided _‘the hell with it.’_ He dialed the number and waited, willing himself not to hang up. Three rings. Four. Then Archie’s voicemail picked up.

“Hey, Archie, it’s Reggie. I was wondering if…That is…Oh hell!” He hung up the phone and tossed the number in the rubbish bin.

He did his best to forget about it, but the next day the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Reggie?”

He nearly dropped the phone.

“You called me?” Archie asked.

No, no, no!

“Hello?” Archie asked.

“Yeah–” his voice cracked, and he coughed. “Yeah, I called. I don’t even know why.”

“I gathered that.” He could hear Archie’s smile. How was that possible? “So, do you want to get together again?”

“No!” Stupid, stupid, you shouldn’t have called him.

Archie sighed. “Ok, I get it. You’re Mr. Macho, 100% heterosexual, captain of the football team, breaker of all the girl’s hearts. But… You were dancing with me.”

“No one knew it was me!” He blurted, then winced.

“Which is why you freaked when the masks came off.” Archie said, half to himself. “Ok, how about this? We get together for coffee, neutral territory, two guys, nothing weird about it.”

Reggie swallowed. “Ok.”

“So, Saturday? At, say, three? That place near Riverdale’s central park, next to the Chinese takeaway?”

Reggie nodded. “Ok.”

When he hung up the phone his hand was shaking.

 

* * *

 

 

By Saturday he’d worked himself into a near panic. Archie was gay, it was obvious he was gay, or was he bi? And there was nothing wrong with that, of course not, not what Reggie himself would do, but still fine. And of course, he could have a gay friend, or a bi friend, just because he never had before, didn’t mean anything, and Archie was a nice guy, and they were just meeting for coffee, and…

He stared at the clock. _One o’clock. One thirty. Two o’clock. Two fifteen_. He should leave soon, he’d be late… _Two thirty_. Did he really want to go? He’d only met the guy once, after all…

At two forty-five he sighed, picked up his keys and left.

He got to the coffee shop at five after, and spent another five minutes convincing himself not to drive home again.

When he walked in, Archie waved to him. “I wasn’t sure you’d show up!” He said, as Reggie approached the table.

“Neither was I.” Reggie confessed.

Archie was already sipping on a drink.

“I’m going to get something, be right back.”

He stood in the short queue, trying to calm his racing heart. This was totally normal, just two guys meeting, nothing sexual about it.

“What’ll you have?” The barista asked when he got to the counter.

“Coffee is fine.” Reggie said distracted in his own thoughts.

As he handed over his money, he looked at Archie, sipping his drink. He could do this.

He got his coffee and headed back to the table.

“What’d you get?” Archie asked.

“Uhm… Coffee.”

Archie laughed openly at that. “I guessed so.”

“I don’t know... How about you?”

“Caramel macchiato.”

An awkward silence fell then.

“Are you gay?” Reggie demanded with his throat dry, then flushed painfully.

Archie, however, only set down his drink and looked at him seriously. “Bi. Does that bother you?”

“No! I-I mean it’s none of my business what you do… I mean…” Reggie stopped, blushing again.

“Good.” Archie said. “I’d hate to think you were homophobic. There are a lot of assholes out here in Riverdale, but you seem like a decent guy.”

“Thanks.” Reggie said, more pleased than he should be.

“So, now that’s out of the way,” Archie said, his eyes twinkling, “You said your friend forced you to go to the–”

“Yeah,” Reggie cut him off. “I called in sick for a week at school, so I could help another friend with his car, and she threatened to tell my teacher.”

Archie snorted into the last of his drink. “Remind me never to cross her.” He looked at Reggie curiously. “He couldn’t have done it some other time?”

Reggie shook his head. “He’s more of the ‘don’t leave it for tomorrow’ type. Long story.”

Archie nodded. “My friend Betty heard about it, and thought it’d be fun, and she asked me.”

“It was fun.” Reggie said. “I mean, if you enjoy prancing about in fancy dress, which I don’t.”

Archie smiled slightly. “Yeah.”

Another silence descended, less awkward than the first. Reggie kept thinking of things to say to break it, but they all revealed too much. He hardly knew Archie after all; he shouldn’t blab his life story to him. “So… why Archie?”

“What?”

“The name. Why Archie?”

Archie laughed, and Reggie took another drink of his coffee, spluttering slightly as he drank too fast. “I honestly don’t know. It would have been a lot easier if my parents had given me a normal name, especially considering…”

Reggie nodded. “Yeah, that’d be a bit much on top of everything else.”

Reggie finished his coffee and got up to throw the cup away. “Take mine too would you?” Archie asked.

“Sure.”

He sat down again, debating with himself, then finally asked, “Do you have a girlfriend? Or… A boyfriend?”

Archie raised an eyebrow. “Not at the moment. Why?”

“No reason.” Reggie mumbled. “I should get going.”

“OK. We should do this again, yeah?” Archie asked.

Reggie nodded. “Oh… Can you give me your number again?”

Archie cocked his head at him, but didn’t comment. “Sure.” He said, taking a pen from his backpack and scribbling it on a napkin.

 

* * *

 

 

The next week he called Archie, and they went out for coffee again. He didn’t hear from him after that until Archie called him and invited him to a concert he was playing in. “Nothing fancy, it’s strictly amateurs.”

“What do you play?” Reggie asked, surprised.

“Guitar.” Archie replied. “So, do you want to go?”

“Uh… Sure.”

Archie gave him the details.

 

* * *

 

 

Reggie pulled up to Veronica’s house. He’d invited her on impulse; he didn’t think Archie would mind.

“A concert, Reggie?” she asked when she opened the door. “Doesn’t sound like you.”

“Shut up… I invited Moose too.” Reggie muttered. She’d given him enough grief already.

As the three drove towards the park, where the concert was being held, Veronica asked “So you really like this guy, huh?”

“What? No, don’t be ridiculous Ronnie! We’re friends, that’s all!”

Veronica shrugged, and Moose just turned up the radio.

They got to the Riverdale’s central park, where bleachers had been set up. Not many people were there yet, so they got a seat near the front. There were lights everywhere, illuminating the area where the orchestra was tuning up. Reggie picked Archie out immediately, rubbing something on his bow.

A few moments later the drummer came out, and tapped his sticks on the instrument. Immediately the rustling stopped, and all the musicians started playing a slow melody.

They started playing, and Reggie focused on Archie. There was a look of intense concentration on his face. His hand moved across the strings of his guitar, and the sound coming from it synched perfectly with the other band members. It was an odd piece, involving shuffling tones and loud keyboard sounds. Reggie hadn’t even known how guitars were played.

When it was over, the crowd applauded, Reggie along with them.

The next piece they played was familiar, but Reggie didn’t know the name of it. Something by an 80’s rock singer, or one of those people. The one after that he did know, since it was in so many popular movies. The band played three more songs after that, before they took their bows. Reggie applauded excited along with the crowd, mindful of Veronica cheering next to him.

They waited on the lawn afterwards, as the musicians packed up and people drifted away.

Archie picked up his case, scanning the remaining people. He smiled when he saw Reggie. “You came!”

“Yeah.” Reggie mumbled.

“Hello again, Archie.” Veronica said.

Archie’s eyes flicked towards her, and then upwards to Moose’s face “Nice to see you again, Veronica.”

“Reggie invited us. I hope you don’t mind.” Moose said, looking between Archie and Reggie.

Again, Archie darted a glance at Reggie, who avoided his eyes. “No, I don’t mind. So what’d you think?” He continued.

“It was… Nice.” Reggie said.

Veronica snorted. “Honestly, Reggie, it was more than ‘nice’! How long have you played?” She asked Archie with round eyes.

As Archie answered, “Three years or so. I started in elementary school.” Reggie took a moment to regret bringing Veronica along. He’d thought she’d serve as… Insurance. Against what, he didn’t know. But he couldn’t react properly with her there.

“That first piece was interesting.” Moose said. “I don’t know much about 60’s music.”

Archie nodded. “It’s very nice. The singer is very well known.”

“It was nice.” Reggie repeated suddenly. “You’re pretty good.”

Archie smiled ironically, looking at Veronica. “Thank you.”

“So… Do you want to get some dinner or something?” Veronica asked, and Reggie froze.

Archie thought about it a moment, eyes on Reggie. “No, I don’t think so. I’m pretty tired; I was just going to go home. But thanks for the offer.”

Reggie sighed inaudibly.

“Nice to see you again, Reggie.” Archie said, holding out his hand.

Bemused, Reggie shook it, then they left.

 

* * *

 

 

Archie didn’t call him again. Reggie thought he might be angry about him inviting Veronica to the concert. For whatever reason, he was just as glad. There’d been indications before, but he’d ignored them as best he could. His father would hit the ceiling…

And there was no one he could talk to. Not many of his friends would be willing to listen to the fact that he was having a sexual identity crisis. He couldn’t talk to Archie– He was the reason for it. And Veronica or Moose… He shuddered at the thought.

He decided to ignore it, ignore the dreams which had surfaced again, dreams he hadn’t had since he was a kid, dreams which featured strong muscles, deep voices and…

But he started dozing off at class, and the principal called him into her office.

“Are you alright, Reggie?” She asked.

“Fine.” He muttered, staring at the floor.

“Many students at your classes have seen you falling asleep. Is something going on?”

She sounded concerned, rather than angry, but he couldn’t tell her he was afraid to sleep. “No, nothing’s going on. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately, is all.”

She frowned. “Well, do something about it, alright? I don’t want to call your parents yet, but I can’t tolerate students sleeping in class.”

He nodded. “Thanks.” _‘Do something about it._ ’ Right.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day was Saturday, and that morning he gritted his teeth and called Archie.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Archie.”

“Reggie!” Archie exclaimed. “How are you?”

Well, he sounded pleased to hear from him, at any rate. Reggie sighed, and sat on the bed. “Not good.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s… Complicated. Can we get together?”

“Sure.” Archie said immediately. “Do you want to get coffee, or…”

Reggie shuddered. “No. It’s… I need to talk to you in private. Can you come over?”

“Ok, sure. Reggie, are you Ok? I mean, nothing’s happened?”

“No, not… Not really.” Reggie sighed trying to control his tone, and gave him his address.

“Ok. Be over in about half an hour.”

 

* * *

 

 

When the doorbell rang, Reggie answered it with a knot in his stomach.

“What’s going on?” Archie demanded, as he entered and sat on Reggie’s sofa.

Reggie paced, waving his hands aimlessly. “Like I said, it’s complicated. I mean, I’ve had struggled before, but I didn’t want to admit it, because my father would freak, but then I met you and it started again, and I can’t sleep because of the dreams, and I got in trouble at school, and I can’t talk to anyone and I don’t know what to do!” _‘God, I’m babbling.’_

Archie sat for a moment, brow furrowed, his lips moving slightly, then he said. “So, when you say ‘before’…?”

“When I was a kid. Just entering middle school. But I ignored it.”

“‘It’?”

Reggie didn’t answer.

Archie sighed. “OK, so are you saying you were attracted to men before?”

“No! Not…” Reggie turned to face him. “Not… Specific men, but…”

Archie nodded. “And it has started again.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, if it’s interfering with your life, you have to do something about it.”

“I can’t!” Reggie protested, appalled. “My father–”

“Your father’s opinion doesn’t matter here!” Archie said. “You’re almost an adult, and first of all people, you have to think about yourself, Reg! He doesn’t have to know if that makes you uncomfortable.”

“But–” ‘ _He’d find out. He finds out everything!’_

Archie sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “You said it started again once you met me?”

Reggie nodded.

“And was it… Ah… Specific this time?” Archie asked.

Reggie nodded again, staring at the floor. “I’m still not sure. I mean, I’ve never…”

“One way to know for sure, isn’t there?”

Reggie stared at him. “Are you suggesting…”

Archie shrugged. “Why not? You’re an attractive enough guy, and this way at least you’d know.”

Reggie blushed furiously. “But I can’t just…”

“Why not?” Archie repeated. “Either you get it out of your system, or you don’t. At least you’d know for sure.”

“I…but…I don’t even know what…”

“Most things are similar enough, at least at the level you’d likely be comfortable with.”

 _‘I can’t do this. I can’t. My father… But I have to do something, it’s driving me insane, and he offered…’_ “No strings attached?” he asked. ‘ _That’s the last thing I want, for him to fall in love with me or something, after I decide it’s not what I want.’_

“No strings attached,” Archie confirmed.

Reggie gulped and squared his shoulders. “OK.”

Archie approached him, slowly. “You’re calling the shots. Tell me if I cross a line.”

Reggie nodded.

Archie leaned in and kissed him, softly.

Reggie tensed.

“Relax.” Archie whispered against his lips.

He did, slowly. It wasn’t much different than kissing a girl, after all. Archie’s lips were chapped, but that didn’t make any difference. After a long moment, Reggie kissed him back.

Archie’s hands had been resting on the small of his back, and at that they twitched slightly.

Reggie pulled back after a moment. “So far, so good.”

Archie smiled. “You want to take it a bit further?”

Reggie nodded.

Archie leaned in and kissed him again, and this time his tongue licked at the seam of Reggie’s lips. Reggie opened his mouth, hesitantly, and Archie flicked his tongue inside before retreating again. Reggie moved his own tongue into Archie’s mouth, exploring, and Archie made an appreciative noise. He tasted like orange juice and coffee, with a hint of toothpaste.

Reggie pulled back and kissed along Archie’s jaw and down his throat. Archie gasped and his hands fisted in Reggie's jacket, then ran underneath it, along his back.

Reggie pulled away, and Archie tugged slightly at his shirt, his eyes questioning. Reggie nodded, and Archie pulled his jacket and shirt off.

Reggie was definitely interested, and he wanted to see more of Archie, so he pulled Archie’s T-shirt off and looked at him.

He was thin, defined muscles without much hair, and very obviously male.

Archie grinned at him. “You can touch me, you know.”

So he ran his hands over Archie’s chest, dipping down below the waistband of his jeans. Archie gasped and his hips bucked forward, and Reggie groaned at the friction.

“Wait, Reg-” Archie locked eyes with him, and said. “Bed.”

Reggie nodded, stepping reluctantly away. Archie’s pale skin was flushed, his lips red and his hair slightly mussed.

Once they were in his bedroom, Reggie hesitated, suddenly uncomfortable again. But Archie came over to him and stroked his shoulders until he relaxed.

Archie unbuttoned the fly on his jeans and Reggie groaned, thrusting his hips forward. Archie laughed softly.

Reggie sat down on the bed and toed off his trainers. Archie pushed his jeans down and off, then took off his own jeans, his trainers landing where he kicked them.

The dark-haired jock stared. Archie was toned, but the sight of him nearly naked, pupils blown, a bulge in his briefs –one that Reggie had put there– was almost too much. He swallowed.

Archie pressed him down onto the bed, and Reggie stiffened, wondering where this was going to go.

“It’s Ok.” Archie whispered against his throat. “I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Reggie nodded.

Archie kissed him again, and this time Reggie didn’t hesitate in kissing him back.

The redhead licked down Reggie’s throat, sucking at the hollow of his collarbone, and Reggie groaned.

Then Archie moved over to his nipple, and Reggie’s hands fisted in his hair. He was no longer worrying, no longer thinking at all.

Archie licked down his stomach, and Reggie lifted his hips up so Archie could remove his briefs. “Let me?” Archie whispered, and Reggie nodded.

When Archie’s lips closed over his cock, he groaned again. He’d had blowjobs before, but not like this. He supposed it was because Archie had firsthand experience, but he was good, swirling his tongue around him, pulling back to lick and mouth at the head, hollowing his cheeks as he sucked.

Reggie tapped his shoulder in warning after only a few minutes, but Archie just hummed. Reggie came down his throat, arching up off the bed.

Archie pulled off him, and came up to kiss him. “Well?”

“Well…?” Reggie repeated, dazed.

Archie smiled indulgently. “Well, how was it?”

“It was… Nice,” Reggie hedged.

“More or less nice than blowjobs you’ve had from girls?”

“I… Don’t know.” Reggie looked at Archie, and realized he was still turned on. ‘ _God, what are you doing only thinking of yourself…’_ “What should I…?”

Archie shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

Reggie carefully peeled off Archie’s briefs, taking a moment to drink in the sight of him. He was hard, and leaking, and Reggie gingerly took hold of his cock.

Archie closed his eyes and gasped, leaning into the touch. Encouraged, Reggie increased the pressure.

“God, Reggie.” Archie whispered. “So good.”

He twisted his wrist a little, and Archie bucked up into him with a groan. Reggie was carefully not thinking about what he was doing, as Archie writhed and moaned under him, but when he stiffened and came into Reggie’s hand, Reggie snatched it away.

_‘Oh God, what did I do, what was I thinking?’_

Archie must have seen the expression on his face, because he said, “I- I should go.” and got up from the bed.

“You don’t have–”

“No, it’s Ok.” Archie said, picking up his clothes and quickly leaving the room, his face as red as his hair.

Reggie heard water running in the bathroom, then a few moments later the door opened and shut.

 

* * *

 

 

On Monday, Reggie managed to keep himself awake at school, but he was even more preoccupied. He’d tried to call Archie, but kept hanging up the phone before he could finish dialling.

_What do I say? ‘Thanks for the blowjob, but I don’t want to do it again’? ‘Sorry I freaked out but that was the best sexual encounter I’ve ever had’?_

Because it was, and he was having trouble dealing with it. He hoped Archie would call him, so they could talk about this.

But he didn’t call for a week, and after two weeks had gone by, Reggie decided he wasn’t going to. _‘He was patient with me and I was selfish, and then I panicked like an idiot. He probably doesn’t want anything to do with me.’_

He still couldn’t bring himself to call Archie, so there was only one alternative.

“Veronica? Can you come over?”

 

* * *

 

 

“What’s going on?” Veronica asked as he let her into his house. “You sounded strange on the phone.”

Reggie braced himself. “Archie and I hooked up. I mean we didn’t fuck but we did sex things, and then I freaked out, and he left, and he hasn’t called so he must hate me, and my dad is going to freak because I think I might be gay–”

“Whoa, whoa, back up!” Veronica said, holding up her hands. “You and Archie had sex?!”

Reggie shrugged “Well… We didn’t exactly have sex, but we did other stuff…” He stopped when he saw Veronica’s inquisitive stare. “You know…”

“When?”

“Two weeks ago. And–”

Veronica cut him off before he could start babbling again. “I think you’d better start at the beginning.”

So Reggie told her everything, from the masque, to what happened two weeks ago.

“And he let me take the lead, and didn’t do anything I didn’t want to do, and then I freaked out, and he left and now he hates me!”

“What makes you think he hates you?” Veronica asked.

“He hasn’t called…”

“Reggie.” Veronica sighed. “Everything you told me points to Archie wanting to make sure you didn’t have a problem with anything. He never pressured you into anything, did he?”

Reggie shook his head. “That’s why–”

“He’s probably waiting for you to get your head on straight, and decide if you want to have anything to do with him.”

“You think so?” Reggie asked hopefully.

She nodded.

“But I can’t call the guy! What if you’re wrong? And what do I say? What if–”

“Let me make it easy for you,” She interrupted. “Either you call Archie and talk to him, or I call Moose and tell him you slept with a guy.”

Reggie stared at her with a high-pitched gasp. “You wouldn’t!”

“He is your best friend, and has been worried sick this entire time for you!” Veronica exclaimed. “He deserves to know that at least! And, besides, I’m sure he’ll be perfectly fine with something like this! Remember when he and Kevin kissed at New Year’s Eve party?”

Veronica raised an eyebrow, and Reggie sagged. “But–” He began, knowing it was useless.

“This is a good thing, Reggie. You slept your way through half the girls at school, but you never had a real relationship. It was like you had something to prove. And I’ve seen you with Archie, you look happy.”

“But I can’t be gay!”

“Why not? What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing! But I…” Reggie replied. “I do like girls too…”

“Well, bi, what’s the problem with that?!” Veronica raised her voice, now exasperated.

“Also, nothing! But my dad…”

“Won’t know if you don’t tell him.”

“He’ll find out,” Reggie said miserably. “You know how he is.”

“Not if you’re careful.” Veronica said. “He doesn’t have to know anything about Archie.”

Reggie sighed. “I guess so.”

“So, are you going to call Archie and talk like two normal people who like each other? Or will you keep blaming yourself over this extremely _easy_ problem?”

Reggie stared at his friend, then finally shook his head. “Alright, alright, I’ll call him.”

Veronica smiled and sighed. “Good choice.”

 

* * *

 

 

Reggie steeled himself, and looked again over his shoulder. He had been waiting for twenty minutes in the coffee shop near the park, knowing perfectly well that his date with Archie wasn’t planned until 4 o’clock, but he still arrived very early.

“Reg!” A joyful voice called him from behind.

At least he didn’t sound angry. Reggie cleared his throat and tried to remember how to properly smile when he stared at those eyes “Hi.”

“How are you?” Archie asked softly as he seated in front of him, leaning his guitar case at one corner of the table.

“Alright.” Reggie paused. “Sorry I freaked out.”

“I was expecting it. Same thing happened to me, the first time. I think it’s part of the process.”

Reggie tried to laugh at that.

“So you’re Ok with what happened?” Archie pressed.

“I… Yeah. Sorry I didn’t call sooner.”

“It’s fine. You needed time to adjust.”

“You’re too patient. You should be... I don't know, angry.” Reggie complained.

Archie seemed confused “Why?”

“Because I used you as an experiment, and then freaked out, and didn’t call you until my friend threatened to tell my other friend that I slept with a guy!”

Archie choked with laughter. “Technically, we didn’t sleep together… So, Veronica knows?” He asked, when he got his breath back.

Reggie nodded. “Yeah.”

“What does she think of it?”

“She thinks that it’s ‘A good thing’ and that I am… ‘Happy’ with you.” Reggie said nervously.

“Are you?”

Reggie thought about it for a long moment. “I suppose.”

“Would you like to do anything like that again? Or maybe another coffee date? Maybe a movie? My friend Jughead told me that _‘Alien Wars 3’_ was really good-”

“I… Maybe. Yes. I don’t know!”

“Ok. We take it one step at a time, and see where it goes?” Archie reached forward and grabbed Reggie’s hand, lacing their fingers together and stared at him with a reassuring smile.

 _'One step at a time.'_   He could do that. Reggie smiled and squeezed Archie’s hand lightly. “Ok.”


End file.
